Apparatus for brewing and dispensing beverages



Dec. 7, 1965 3,221,637

APPARATUS FOR BREWINGAND DISPENSING BEVERAGES s. w. SMALL ETAL 16Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed July 14, 1961 Z z W 9 2 22 A 3 a v w. 6 v.x S g d 4 1/ H 1 m v 2 w m y fl 2 J c mm mm Y m m w NWD R ET 0 VLM T mMD M BY Mm D 7, 1965 s. w. SMALL ETAL 3,221,637

APPARATUS FOR BREWING AND DISPENSING BEVERAGES Original Filed July 14,1961 16 Sheets-Sheet 5 207 INVERTORS 207 SOLLIE w SMALL DAVID HERMANATTORNE Y Dec. 7, 1965 s. w. SMALL ETAL APPARATUS FOR BREWING ANDDISPENSING BEVERAGES 16 Sheets-Sheet 4 Original Filed July 14, 1961 Lmsm Y E T N NED R miw o m m I n [S A J M M I B FI I w r m w Dec. 7, 1955s. w. SMALL ETAL 3,221,537

APPARATUS FOR BREWING AND DISPENSING BEVERAGES Original Filed July 14,1961 I 16 Sheets-Sheet 5 y THE 2/5 lNV NTOR Z00 soLu E w. SaALL v BYDAVID HERMAN 20 law 1?.

ATTORNEY s. w. SMALL ETAL 3,221,637

APPARATUS FOR BREWING AND DISPENSING BEVERAGES Dec. 7, 1965 16Sheets-Sheet 6 Original Filed July 14. 1961 INVENTORS SOLLIE W. SMALLDAVID HERMAN la. ATTORNEY Dec. 7, 1965" s. w. SMALL ETAL APPARATUS FORBREWING AND DISPENSING BEVERAGES 16 Sheets-Sheet 7 Original Filed July14, 1961 ENVENTO R5 SOLLIE W. SMALL DAVID HERMAN ATTORNEY Dec. 7, 1965s. w. SMALL ETAL APPARATUS FOR BREWING AND DISPENSING BEVERAGES l6Sheets-Sheet 8 Original Filed July 14. 1961 INVENTQRs 1 SOLLIE W. SMALLDNWD HERMAN ATTORNEY Dec. 7, 1965 s. w. SMALL ETAL 3,221,637

APPARATUS FOR BREWING AND DISPENSING BEVERAGES Original Filed July 14,1961 16 Sheets-Sheet 9 INVENTORS SOLLIE W. SMALL BY DAV:D HERMANATTORNEY Dec. 7, 1965 s. w. SMALL ETAL 3,221,637

APPARATUS FOR BREWING AND DISPENSING BEVERAGES Original Filed July 14,1961 16 Sheets-Sheet 10 INVENTOR s Dec. 7, 1965 s. w. SMALL ETAL3,221,637

APPARATUS FOR BREWING AND DISPENSING BEVERAGES Original Filed July 14,1961 16 Sheets-Sheet 11 INVENTORS SOLLIE W. SMALL DAVID H RMAN ATTORN EYDec. 7, 1965 Original Filed July 14. 1961 W. SMALL ETAL APPARATUS FORBREWING AND DISPENSING BEVERAGES 16 Sheets-Sheet 12 lllh lNVENTOR-iSOLLIE W. SMALL DAVID HERMAN -x ATTORNEY APPARATUS FOR BREWING ANDDISPENSING BEVERAGES Original Filed July 14. 1961 Dec. 7, 1965 s. w.SMALL ETAL l6 Sheets-Sheet 15 uN I I 5AA PU R M Y Z 0 E m m n Ema. m 1.M S I with.

- W Z O/ 3 III 45 6 m 4 o+/ 7 1/ 9 5 I 7 4 IL Tn 1965 s. w. SMALL ETAL3, ,637

APPARATUS FOR BREWING AND DISPENSING BEVERAGES Original Filed July 14.1961 16 Sheets-Sheet 14 INVENTORS SOLLIE W. SMALL DAVID ERMAN mud ZLQMMATTO R N EY Dec. 7, 1965 s. w. SMALL ETAL 3,221,537

APPARATUS FOR BREWING AND DISPENSING BEVERAGES l6 Sheets-Sheet 15Original Filed July 14. 1961 INVENTORS SOLLIE w. SMALL BY DAVID HERMANllalldu.

ATTom Aj/ APPARATUS FOR BREWING AND DISPENSING BEVERAGES Original FiledJuly 14, 1961 D 65 s. w. SMALL ETAL 16 Sheets-Sheet 16 r e 0 y 2w 7 wxMm infi #T. S M w 7 Wm n m M s u I a U 1 s u 6 L m T1 m e K T 4 a u w WM s a W Wm H 3/ 3%. r 2 MW 1 w o Q o W4 6 mM ,3 5 J L Jam 0? \NVENTORSSOLLIE W. SMALL I /258 BY DAVID HERMAN [0am K ATTORNEY United StatesPatent 3,221,637 APPARATUS FOR BREWING AND DISPENSING BEVERAGES SollieW. Small and David Herman, Newark, N.J., as-

siguors to Coffee-Mat Corporation, Elizabeth, N.J., a corporation of NewJersey Continuation of application Ser. No. 124,027, July 14, 1961. Thisapplication Mar. 9, 1965, Ser. No. 444,892 35 Claims. (Cl. 99-289) Thisapplication is a continuation of our copending application, Serial No.124,207, filed July 14, 1961, now abandoned.

The present invention relates generally to improvements in apparatus forthe production of beverages, and it relates in particular to an improvedapparatu for the brewing and dispensing of coffee beverage in unitquantities.

In the conventional hot coffee vending and dispensing machines, thecoffee flavor is generally stored in the vending machine as a liquidcoffee flavor concentrate or extract. Upon coin actuation of the Vendingmachine, measured quantities of the coffee flavor and hot water areadmixed as well as a sweetening material, also cream if preselected, andthe resulting beverage is discharged into and dispensed in a cup. Whilethe coffee vending machines heretofore employed and proposed operatesatisfactorily from a mechanical point of view they leave much to bedesired insofar as the quality of the end product is concerned. Not onlyis the flavor of the dispensed coffee generally inferior but itdeteriorates with time and is non-uniform from cup to cup. This is inpart an inevitable consequence of the use of coffee extracts andconcentrates in preparing the beverage instead of freshly brewing thecoffee from the coffee grounds. Another contributing fact to theinferior quality of the conventional machine vended coffee is the widevariation in the temperature of the beverage water which adverselyaffects the end product. While automatic coffee brewing and dispensingmechanisms have been proposed, these have been complex and costly, theprepared beverage has been expensive, and the machines possessednumerous drawbacks and disadvantages as is evidenced by the fact thatthey are not in commercial use to any appreciable extent.

It it, therefore, a principal object of the present invention to providean improved apparatus for producing beverages.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved coffeebeverage vending and dispensing apparatus.

Still another object of the present invention is to pro vide an improvedmachine for automatically brewing and dispensing a predetermined unitamount of coffee.

A further object of the present invention is to provide improvedautomatic equipment for producing and dispensing a cup of coffee freshlybrewed from the coffee grounds, in which a fresh filter element andfresh coffee grounds are employed for each cup of the beverage.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improvedcoffee brewing apparatus in which a filter element is automaticallyformed from a strip of filter material with each cycle of the brewingoperation.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved hotwater metering apparatus.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improvedwater heating and storing apparatus.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a brewingapparatus of the above nature characterized by its ruggedness,simplicity, reliability of operation, flexibility, and high quality ofthe end product.

The above and other objects of the present invention will becomeapparent from a reading of the following description taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of one form of the filterelement forming and handling mechanism and the brew and sequence controlassembly constructed in accordance with and embodying the presentinvention, parts being shown rotationally and laterally offset forconvenience of illustration;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the improvedapparatus according to the present invention;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 in FIGURE 2, partsbeing shown partially broken away;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4--4 in FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 4a is a sectional view taken along line 4a4a in FIGURE 3;

FIGURES 5 and 6 are views similar to FIGURE 4 illustrating, however, thefilter Web advancing and transfer mechanism in successive operationalpositions;

FIGURES 5a and 6a are views similar to FIGURE 5, the web clampingmechanism control being illustrated in successive positionscorresponding to FIGURES 5 and 6;

FIGURE 7 is a sectional view taken along line 77 in FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 8 is a sectional view taken along line 88 in FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 9 is a sectional view taken along line 9-9 in FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 10 is a sectional view taken along line 10'10 in FIGURE 9;

FIGURE 11 is a sectional view taken along line 1111 in FIGURE 2, withremoved;

FIGURE 12 is a sectional view taken along line 1212 in FIGURE 11, thebrew receptacle being in its retracted inverted rest position;

FIGURES 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17 are view similar to FIGURE 12, the brewmechanisms being illustrated, however, at successive steps of itsoperation sequence;

FIGURE 18 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 1818 inFIGURE 12;

FIGURE 19 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 1919 inFIGURE 14;

FIGURE 20 is a fragmentary bottom plan view of the brew receptaclehandling mechanism approaching the end of the operation cycleillustrating the stripping of the filter element and the dumping of thespent grounds;

FIGURE 21 is a sectional view taken along line 21-21 in FIGURE 20;

FIGURE 22 is a rear elevational view of the brewer assembly;

FIGURE 23 is a view similar to FIGURE 22 illustrating the brewerassembly in an advanced position thereof;

FIGURE 24 is a sectional view taken along line 2424 in FIGURE 19; 7

FIGURE 25 is a sectional view taken along line 25-25 in FIGURE 19, partsbeing omitted for clarity of illustration;

FIGURE 26 is a vertical sectional view of the hot water tank and waterfeed mechanism;

FIGURE 27 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 27--27 inFIGURE 26;

FIGURE 28 is an enlarged fragmentary view similar to FIGURE 26 showing,however, the mechanism in a water discharge position;

FIGURE 29 is a vertical sectional view of the air beverage separator;

FIGURE 30 is a schematic view of the electrical circuit controllingcycle of operation of the improved apparatus; and

FIGURE 31 is a schematic view of the water tank filling and heatingcircuit.

In a sense, the present invention contemplates the provision of acompletely automatic apparatus which freshly brews a cup or unitquantity of coffee beverage from the fresh coffee grounds and dispensesthe beverage ready for consumption, the brewing and dispensing cyclebeing selectively initiated in any desired manner such as by a coinactuated device. The apparatus may be employed in any well known orconventional mechanism which effects the dispensing of a cup in aposition below the coffee beverage discharge spout and the selectivedispensing and mixing with the beverage of cream, milk and a suitablesweetening agent.

An important feature of the present invention is the improved brewingapparatus comprising a brew receptacle having inlet and outlet openings,means adapted to deposit a measured quantity of coffee grounds into saidreceptacle, means adapted to apply a filter element to said outletopening, means adapted to r-eleasably lock said filter element inregistry with said outlet openings, means feeding water into said inletopening which flows through said outlet opening by way of the coffeegrounds in said receptacle, and means adapted to discharge said coffeegrounds and said filter element from said brew receptacle. The brewreceptacle is advantageously in the form of an open topped receptaclehaving the inlet opening formed in the bottom thereof. Motivating meansare provided for rotating the brew receptacle, to an upright position,depositing a premeasured amount of coffee grounds into the cup, applyinga filter element over the receptacle open top, sliding a lid definingbrew head connected to an outlet conduit into registry with the open topof the brew receptacle and then raising the brew receptacle to itsuppermost position to lock the filter element between the brewreceptacle and brew head. The motivating means then actuates a hot watermetering device which passes a predetermined amount of water through thebrew receptacle carried coffee grounds, through the filter, and throughthe outlet conduit and thereafter retracts the brew head and reversesand lowers the brew receptacle to separate and discharge the filterelement and the by then spent coffee grounds.

Another important feature of the present invention is the filter elementforming and dispensing apparatus comprising a slide member movablebetween an advanced and a retracted position, guide means directing aweb of filter material along said slide member, web clamp means disposedadjacent the leading end of said slide member, means urging said webclamp means toward en gagement with said slide member during the advancemovement thereof and out of engagement with said slide member during theretraction thereof, and a stationary clamp located between the leadingand trailing ends of said slide member and adapted to engage said web torestrain the movement thereof. The slide member carries a web severingdevice along its leading end which is actuated when the slide member isin its advanced position. A swingable filter transfer member is disposedat the advanced position of the slide member, receives the severedfilter element and transports it to the waiting brew receptacle asaforesaid.

A further feature of the present invention resides in the waterdispensing device which comprises a water reservoir, a metering vesselimmersed in-said reservoir and having an inlet port formed thereincommunicating with said reservoir, an outlet conduit communicating withsaid vessel, a valve associated with said inlet port and movable betweenan open and closed position, means adapted to discharge the liquid fromsaid vessel through said outlet conduit, and means alternately closingsaid port valve and actuating said discharge means,

and deactivating said discharge means and opening said port valve. Thedischarge means is defined by a valved source of compressed airconnected by an air conduit to the metering vessel, the outlet conduitextending into the metering vessel below the level of the air conduit.Water is delivered to the reservoir only when the level thereof fallsbelow a predetermined point and the reservoir water exceeds apredetermined temperature.

Other features of the present invention will become apparent from thedetailed description of the embodiment thereof as hereinafter set forth.

Referring now to the drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment ofthe present invention, and particularly FIGURES l and 2, referencenumeral 10 designates generally the improved apparatus which includes acabinet 11 in which the various components and assemblies of theapparatus are suitably housed and mounted. The apparatus comprises astorage compartment 12 supporting a roll R of filter material web W inthe upper part of the cabinet 11, a web feeding indexing and severingdevice 13 disposed below the storage compartment 12, and a filterelement transfer mechanism 14, in turn disposed below the web indexingand severing device 13. Adjacent to and in alignment with transfermechanism 14 is a brew assembly 16 which includes a cycle sequencecontrol and motivating mechanism 17. A coffee metering hopper 18 islocated above brew assembly 16. A hot water tank and feed water meteringdevice 19 is disposed adjacent brew assembly 16 and a beverage airseparator 20 is located in the upper part of cabinet 11.

The brew assembly 16 and sequence control assembly 17 are best seen inFIGURES l, 2 and 11 through of the drawings, and include a pair oflaterally spaced cantilever rods 21 projecting from and mounted on awall 22 by means of suitable brackets 23, which rods 21 carry a pair ofparallel transversely spaced laterally extending mounting plates 24 and26 disposed forward of the wall 22 and tied together by cross rods 27.Mounted on the rear face of wall 22 is an electric brew motor 28 havinga drive shaft projecting through said wall 22 and carrying a drive gear29. A sequence timing first cam shaft 30 is suitably journalled to wall22 and projects forwardly thereof and carries a gear 32 mating with themotor, driven gear 29. A brewer second cam shaft 33 is disposed in axialalignment with the first cam shaft 30, and is journalled betweenmounting plates 24 and 26. An integrally formed axial stub shaft 34, ofreduced cross section, projects rearwardly from cam shaft 33 andregister with an axial well formed in the leading end of cam shaft 30, aradially projecting coupling rod 36 being affixed to shaft 34. Atransversely extending yoke member 37 is radially offset relative to camshaft 39 and is mounted adjacent the leading end thereof by means of aradial arm 38 secured to cam shaft 30. Mounted on cam shaft 33, adjacentto the outer face of plate 24, is a radially extending lock arm 39having an arcuate outer edge whose center is on the axis of cam shaft 33and being provided with an arm 40 projecting therefrom in a directionopposite said arcuate edge and terminating in a rearwardly directed leg41. Coupling rod 36 passes through an aligned opening formed on leg 41and is engaged by yoke 37 which causes cam shafts 30 and 33 and lock arm39 to rotate in unison.

Mounted on cam shaft 30 and spaced along the length thereof androtatable therewith are a plurality of timing and motivating cams C1,C2, C3, C4 and C5, the shapes and relative phasing and angular positionsof which will be described hereinafter. Cam C1 controls the energizationof brew motor 28; cam C2 motivates the filter indexing mechanism; cam C3motivates the filter clamping device; cam C4 motivates the filtertransfer mechanism; and cam C5 effects the sliding of the brew head andthe motivating of the hot water feed value. A cam C6 is mounted on camshaft 33 and effects the movement of the brew receptacle.

The brew receptacle is of open topped cup shaped configuration and isdesignated by the letter B and, as best seen in FIGURES 24 and 25,includes a cylindrical wall 42 and a downwardly convex or dished bottomwall 43 connected to the lower edge of wall 42 by a peripheral flange.The receptacle bottom wall 43 has a transversely extending slot formedtherein which registers with a transversely extending shaft 44 and isaffixed in liquid tight relationship thereto. Formed in shaft 44 is alongitudinal- 1y extending bore 46 which communicates with the bottom ofreceptacle B by way of an opening of port 47 formed in the wall of shaft44, the bore 46 extending only to one end of shaft 44. The opposite endsof shaft 44 project through and slidably register with transverselyaligned vertical slots 48 (FIGURES 22 and 23) formed in plates 24 and26. The end of shaft 44 adjacent plate 24 is closed and has afiixed tothe free end thereof along the outer face of plate 24 a pinion 49. Theopposite end of shaft 44 is connected to a flexible pipe 50.

A perforated plate or screen member 51 rests on and is secured bywelding or the like to the peripheral border of the receptacle bottomwall 43 and has openings therein which will not permit the passage offine coffee grounds but will permit the free passage of water.Projecting laterally from and affixed to the side face of receptaclewall 42 are a pair of transversely spaced brackets 53 having upper andlower arms. An upwardly directed pointed pin element 54 is carried byeach of brackets 53 and projects above the upper edge of receptacle Wall42, said pin elements 54 lying along a line approximately tangent to theface of the Wall 42.

A yoke member 56 (FIGURES l1 and 12), including a bridge section 57 anda pair of transversely spaced later ally projecting parallel yoke arms58, is located between plates 24 and 26 and is swingably supported by anaxle 59 registering with aligned openings in the trailing ends of thearms 58 and the upper side edges of plates 24 and 26. The leading endsof arms 58 have recesses 60 formed therein which 'engage shaft 44adjacent the inner faces of plates 24 and 26 and is vertically movabletherewith, shaft 44 being restricted to a vertical movement by slots 48.A cam follower member 61 is supported by and between yoke arms 58intermediate the ends thereof and engages the cam surface of cam C5.Yoke 56 is resiliently urged in a counterclockwise direction, as seen inFIGURE 12 in the drawing, by a pair of tension springs 63 extending frompins 64 on arms 58 to a lower tie rod 27, thereby to urge shaft 44 andbrew cup B downwardly and cam follower 61 into contact with cam C6.

In order to prevent rotation of brew receptacle B beyond its uprightposition, a stop bar 65 is carried by and between yoke arms 58 andregisters with the border of the underface of receptacle B when thelatter is in its upright position. A pair of filter stripping members 66is carried by yoke arms 58 rearward of the leading ends thereof, andeach includes a depending leg 67 terminating in an inwardly directedstripping plate 68 having formed therein a notch 69 which registers witha corresponding pin 54 when the receptacle B is in its invertedposition. Cam C6 includes along its cam surface a rest or fullydepressed section 1C6 a first slightly depressed section 2C6 relative tothe section 3C6 extending about 90, a fully raised section 3C6 and aterminating, slightly depressed section 406 relative to the section 3C6,the successive cam sections being connected by non circumferentialconnecting sections, and the sections 2C6, 3C6 and 4C6 being arcuatelyconcentric with the cam axis.

A vertical rack 70 (FIGURES 22 and 23) engages pinion gear 49 and isslidably mounted on the outer face of plate 24 by means of platesupported screws 71 registering with vertical slots 72 formed in therack 70. A lever defining laterally extending pair of transverselyspaced parallel arms 73 joined adjacent their leading ends is pivoted atits trailing end to the outer face of plate 24 by a pin 75, and isprovided at its leading end with a transversely projecting lug 74 whichengages a notch 76 formed in a vertical edge of rack 70. The lever 73 isresiliently 'urged to its depressed position by a tension spring 77connected between lever 73 and a lug 78 projecting from a lower cornerof plate 24. Supported by and between the arms defining the lever 73 isa cam follower 79 which registers with the free end of lock arm 39 whenthe latter is in an upright position to prevent the lowering of lever 73and rack 7 0. It should he noted that lock arm 39 and cam follower 79are in registry when follower 61 is in its passage along cam C6 from camsection 4C6 to home section 1C6.

The brew assembly, as best seen in FIGURES 4, 12, 24 and 25, includes aslide plate 80 having a medial longitudinal channel extending along thelength thereof and provided with a flat bottom wall 81. Longitudinalplates 82 extend along the sides of slide 80 and terminate in dependinglips 83, the outer borders of plates 82 slidably resting on flanges 84directed outwardly from the upper edges of plates 24 and 26. In order torestrict the plate 80 to a sliding movement along flanges 84, a pair oflock bars 87 are screw-secured to the inner faces of lips 83 andslid'eably engage the under faces of flanges 84 and the outer upperborders of plates 24 and 26. A pair of oppositely disposed lugs 88(FIGURES 22-24) are located on plates 24 and 26 in the path of bars 87to limit the forward movement of slide plate 80.

Secured to the underface of slide channel wall 81 is a brewhead-defining cap member 89, including a top disc shaped wall 90underlying channel wall 81 and of somewhat larger diameter than brewreceptacle wall 42 and terminating in a depending peripheral skirt 91. Aconcentric collar of somewhat smaller diameter than that of receptaclewall 42 depends from the cap wall 90 to a level slightly above that ofthe lower edge of skirt 91, and has secured to its lower edge a filterelement reinforcing perforate plate or screen member 94. Nesting in thespace delineated by skirt 91 and collar 92 is a resilient annular gasketor washer 96 formed of rubber or other suitable material. An uprightoutlet pipe 97 communicates with the interior of head 89 by way of acentral opening formed therein, and is connected to the beverage outletby way of a coupled flexible tube 98. Tube 98 'extends through anopening in a transversely offset upright bracket plate 99 carried by achannel member 100 extending across and affixed to top of slide 80. Alsoprojecting upwardly from slide 80, at its trailing end, is an arm 101. Anormally open switch S1 (FIGURE 4) is suitably supported and providedwith a switch closing actuating arm 102 disposed in the path of arm 101to be engaged and motivated thereby when slide 80 is in its fullyadvanced position.

The brew head carrying slide 80 is moved between its retracted andadvanced position, as illustrated in FIG- URES 22 and 23 of the drawingsrespectively, in properly timed relation by cam C5 (FIGURES 1 and 11). Arocker lever 103 is pivoted between its ends to a pin sup port 104 andis provided with opposite upper and lower legs 106 and 107. A camfollower 108 is mounted on lever leg 106 between its ends and engagescam C5, the uper end of leg 106 having a longitudinal slot formedtherein which engages a pin 109 mounted in and projecting transverselyfrom slide 80. Thus, the rocking of lever 103 by cam C5 effectsreciprocation of slide 80. When cam follower 108 engages the raisedsection of cam C5, slide 80 is in its retracted position, and when itengages the cam depressed section slide 80 is in its advanced position,cam C5 being so shaped and phased that slide 80 is in its advanced orbrew position only from the times follower 61 engages the trailing endof cam section 2C6 along the cam section 3C6 and to the leading end ofcam section 406.

Storage compartment 12 (FIGURE 2) includes a vertical side wall 11%), abottom wall 111 downwardly inclined toward side wall 110 and spacedtherefrom by a transverse exit slot 112 and forming an acute angletherewith, a top wall and an opposite side wall. The compartment wallsare provided with inwardly directed flanges 113 which retain the roll Rof filter material within the compartment 12. The filter material is aband or web W of somewhat greater width than the brew receptacle, and isformed of any suitable filter material such as cotton, rayon, paper orthe like. The filter web W is withdrawn from roll R through a dependingguide channel 114 vertically aligned with exit slot 112, and a uniformrestraining tension is applied thereto by reason of the wedging actionof roll R in the dihedral defined by compartment walls 110 and 111. Asweb W is pulled from the roll R it is urged against wall 110 not only byreason of the weight of the roll but likewise by the rotation of theroll R toward wall 110 thereby to effect a wedging action on roll R.

The filter element preparing mechanism 13 (FIGURES 3 to is carried by avertical support plate 116 suitably mounted along a side wall of cabinet11, and is provided with forwardly directed horizontal bracket lugs 117which support a pair of transversely spaced vertical track definingguide rods 118. An indexing slide member 119 is of channel shape andcomprises a vertical base plate 120 disposed forward of support plate116 and along the rear of guide rods 118, and is provided with forwardlydirected flanges 121 along its longitudinal edges. Projecting outwardlyfrom flanges 121 at their upper ends and at intermediate points arebracket lug 122 having openings registering with guide rods 118 topermit slide member 119 to move between an upper retracted position anda lower advance position, as seen in FIGURES 5 and 6 of the drawingsrespectively.

Formed in the lower section of slide base plate 120 is a verticallyextending, medially located slot 123. A U-shaped jaw element 124 isaffixed to the support plate 116 and is provided with a pad-definingvertical arm 126 registering with slot 123, and being substantiallycoplanar with slide plate 120. A vertically extending web holddown arm127 is medially disposed relative to slide member 119 and includes anupper rearwardly directed angle section 128 secured at its crotch to atransverse rod 129, rotatably supported by and between a pair of lugs130 mounted on legs directed forwardly from the upper edge of supportplate 116. Depending from the forward edge of angle section 128 is avertical arm 131 which is connected by an inclined arm to a vertical leg132 which gravity urged ot bear against the confronting faces of slidebase plate 120 and pad member 126 and terminates below pad member 126.Filter web W traverses a path extending along the rear face of the anglesection vertical leg, and between and in sandwiched engagement with theconfronting faces of hold-down leg 132 and base plate 120, and hold-downleg 132 and pad member 126, whereby to maintain the web W at all timesin position suitable for advancing and handling.

A channel shaped web engaging member 133 is swingably carried by slidebase member 120, and comprises a cross web 134 provided with rearwardlydirected longitudinal flanges 136 abutting the inner faces of basemember flanges 121, and pivotally connected to the upper forward cornersthereof by a transversely extending rod 137 registering with alignedopenings formed in the flanges. Spaced below the lower corners of crossweb 134 and suitably secured thereto (FIGURES 3 to 6) are a pair oftransversely spaced web grip elements 138 terminating in rearwardlylocated arms 139 covered with caps 140 formed of a resilient frictionmaterial such as rubber. A bracket 141 is secured to and extends acrossthe front face of web 134 between the upper and lower ends thereof, andis provided with an outwardly forwardly projecting end arm 142terminating in outwardly directed ears 143. A pair of tension springs144 are connected between ears 143 and slide bracket lugs 122, normallyto urge the clamp member 133 resiliently to its tape clamping positionand web grip elements 138 toward engagement with the lower border of theslide base plate 120.

The mechanism for reciprocating indexing slide 119 between its advancedand retracted position comprises a lever 146 having rearwardly andforwardly offset legs 147 and 148 respectively, and pivoted between itsends to a stationary horizontal post 149 disposed along the side ofmounting plate 116. Arm 147 extends between plates 116 and andterminates in a forked end which engages a rearwardly directed pin 150mounted along the far edge of slide base plate 120. The free end oflever arm 148 is connected by a vertical link 151 to one end of a rockerarm 152 (FIGURES 1 and 11) pivoted between its ends to a horizontalsupport post 153 projection from wall 22. The opposite end of rocker arm152 carrie a cam follower 154 which engages cam C2, and is urged intoengagement therewith by the weight of index slide 119 transmitted by wayof lever 146, link 151 and rocker arm 152. Cam C2 is provided with araised and depressed section and is so shaped and angularly related tocam C6 that the raised section of the cam C2 engages follower 154between the time the cam follower 61 engages cam section 3C6 and 4C6,that is during the coffee brewing period, and the depressed section ofcam C2 engages follower 154 from the time follower 61 engages camsection 1C6 until it engages about the mid-point of cam section 2C6.

The web clamping plate 133 is rocked between a web engage and a webdisengage position by a swingable arm 156 depending from and aflixed toa crank shaft 157 journalled between slide flanges 121 (FIGURES 3 and4). Shaft 157 projects beyond flange 121 and carries a depending radialarm 158 provided with an outwardly directed eccentric pin 159. Pin 159is urged into sliding engagement with the front face of a verticalchannel shaped bar 160 which is mounted along the vertical path thereofto wall 116 by a parallelogram linkage which perrnits the transversemovement of bar 160 While maintainmg a vertical orientation.Specifically, channel bar 160 is connected by a pair of verticallyspaced, parallel, rearwardly directed links 161 to a bracket 162 mountedon wall 116, links 161 being pivotally connected at their ends tobracket 162 and bar 160. Bar 160 and bracket 162 are formed of similarlyshaped channels, and links 161 are likewise channel shaped.

Bar 160 is pivotally connected to the upper end of a vertical link 163,the lower end of which is connected to one end of a lever 164 pivotedbetween its ends to a horizontal post 165 mounted on wall 22. Lever 164carries a cam follower 166 which bears against the under edge of cam C3.Cam C3 is so shaped and angularly oriented that its raised sectionengages follower 166 only during the upward movement of indexing slide119 whereby, durmg this upward movement, web clamping elements 138 arein their retracted web disengage position as affected by arm 156 by wayof lever 164, link 163, bar 160 and crank pin 159.

In order to cut a filter element F from web W, there is provided atransverse bed plate 167 secured to the rear face of slide plate 120 anddepending below the lower edge of plate 120 and extending beyond theside edges thereof. Plate 167 has formed therein a longitudinallyextending slot 168 immediately below the lower edge of slide plate 120and extending substantially beyond the edges of the slide plate.

A pair of parallel plate brackets 169 project forwardly from the sideedges of bed plate 167 and are reinforced by top plates 170 secured tothe upper edges of bed plate 167 and plate bracket 169, and to the slideplate flanges 121 by upright ears 171. Supported by and between brackets169 adjacent their forward edges and at the level of slot 168 is a guiderod 172 carrying at its left end as viewed

33. A BREWING APPARATUS COMPRISING A BREW CHAMBER INCLUDING A MEMBERDEFINING A WALL THEREOF, MEANS FOR INTRODUCING AN INFUSION MATERIAL INTOSAID BREW CHAMBER, MEANS FOR PASSING A BREWING LIQUID THROUGH SAIDINFUSION MATERIAL IN SAID BREW CHAMBER, AND MEANS FOR DISCHARGING SAIDINFUSION MATERIAL FROM SAID BREW CHAMBER INCLUDING MEANS FOR MOVING SAIDWALL MEMBER RAPIDLY DOWN AND BRINGING SAID WALL MEMBER TO AN ABRUPT STOPTO EFFECT THE SEPARATION OF SAID INFUSION MATERIAL THEREFROM.